The islandwide taxi protest is yet another demonstration of crude behaviour doing damage to a nation already in deep economic distress.
While the response to new taxation and increased fines for traffic offences was predictable, it left no room for prior consultation with any government agency. Taxi operators, legal and illegal, opted for the abuse of illegal roadblocks; the objective being enough dislocation to draw attention to their grouse.
It is conceded, even by a government cast as villain of the piece, that peaceful protest is a democratic right. But while the protests were adjudged as largely peaceful, the roadblocks had the inevitable negative effects.
School attendance, business operations and other normal activity were hampered. And, most unfortunate, a bus driver was stabbed to death in Westmoreland.
Thus even where peaceful demonstrations are justifiable, lack of discipline can spark disaster. And that is why roadblocks are illegal. The participants disrupt the peaceful pursuit of normal activity. Even taxi operators who did not join the protest had the right to continue operating and not be forced to comply.
The political reaction to the demonstration was also predictable. The ruling PNP accused the JLP of plotting the anti-tax protests, and an opposition spokesman denied this.
Against the background of recent negative assessments of the country's economic performance, an opposition party, still rueing election defeat, would seize on any chance to stage a comeback. The JLP has had much to chew on in this regard; the Minister of Finance himself has admitted to taking wrong policy directions on debt reduction. New and heavy taxation is always fodder for criticism.
It may well be that taxi operators could launch spontaneous protests against the new imposts affecting them. But that would require national organisation. JUTA is the closest thing to any such organisation involved in transportation; but their ties to tourism rule out any such involvement. The PNP accusation therefore may have been based on those factors.
We hope nonetheless that the ensuing differences between the major parties in this matter will not derail the Vale Royal summitry that has started since the October General Election. The potential of the new power balance in Parliament may be too valuable to sacrifice for cheap political gain.
More importantly the demonstration must alert the Government to the urgent need to review economic policies and their impact on the people and the mood of the times.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
